How to pronounce totality
Say it like toh-TAL-ih-tee. Totality has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce totality. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- toh
- TAL
- ih
- tee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Totality pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- tohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- TALSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- teeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of totality
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: toh-TAL-ih-tee.
What does totality mean?
- The state of being total.
- An aggregate quantity obtained by addition.“the totality of your offspring”
- The phase of an eclipse when it is total.
Where does totality come from?
From total + -ity.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with totality
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of totality.
- personality
- functionality
- plurality
- immortality
- originality
- individuality
- fatality
- speciality
- rationality
- criminality
Questions about saying totality
How do you pronounce totality?
Say toh-TAL-ih-tee. The American pronunciation is /toʊˈtælɪti/. In British English it is /təʊˈtælɪti/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in totality?
Totality has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAL). Broken into parts: toh · TAL · ih · tee.
Is totality pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /təʊˈtælɪti/ (toh-TAL-ih-tee).